Tag Archives: Westworld

HBO teases Bad Robot’s first foray into premium cable, the android-inhabited ‘Westworld’

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HBO aired the first teaser for Westworld during tonight’s telecast of the True Detective finale. Stretch your mind back to September 2013; that’s when J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan (Person of Interest) received a pilot production commitment from the premium cable network to adapt Westworld, a sci-fi western mashup based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film. The logline remains: “Set in the amazing world dreamt up by Michael Crichton, Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin.”

This 30-second clip sets the scene quite powerfully. Westworld the movie took place at a Western-themed amusement park rampant with androids who appeared nearly indistinguishable from humans. It looks like the TV series is going in a similar direction–Evan Rachel Wood’s android could’ve fooled me!

The all-star ensemble cast also includes Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Jimmi Simpson, Clifton Collins, Jr., Simon Quarterman, and Angela Sarafyan.

Nolan directs the pilot and co-writes with Lisa Joy (Burn Notice). They executive produce with the team at Bad Robot (including Abrams and Bryan Burk) and Jerry Weintraub.

Westworld premieres in 2016 on HBO. Cannot wait. Continue reading HBO teases Bad Robot’s first foray into premium cable, the android-inhabited ‘Westworld’ →

J.J. Abrams & Jonathan Nolan set up ‘Westworld’ adaptation at HBO

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Here is a TV project to keep a very close eye on. J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan (the auspices behind CBS’ Person of Interest) are adapting Michael Crichton’s 1973 sci-fi thriller Westworld into a TV series for HBO. This marks the first foray into pay cable TV for Abrams’ Bad Robot production company. And like all things Bad Robot, the project is shrouded in mystery; this official logline will have to do for now: “Set in the amazing world dreamt up by Michael Crichton, Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin.” The movie, which starred Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, and James Brolin, took place at a Western-themed amusement park rampant with androids who appeared nearly indistinguishable from humans. Watch the trailer here. Westworld went on to spawn a sequel Futureworld (1976) and even a short-lived TV series Beyond Westworld.

Nolan is set to direct the pilot (HBO has already agreed to a pilot production commitment!) and he will pen the script with writer Lisa Joy (Burn Notice). Abrams, Nolan, Joy, Bryan Burk, and Jerry Weintraub will executive produce.

[Via Deadline]